


The Adventurers

by AwatereJones, meretrixvilis



Series: Time Traveller Verse [8]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alt Verse, Drama, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-06
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-23 12:45:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17683730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwatereJones/pseuds/AwatereJones, https://archiveofourown.org/users/meretrixvilis/pseuds/meretrixvilis
Summary: Ianto/Yan has a mission, something that can not be shirked as it is part of a paradox that has gone unnoticed for too long and must be closed out. Byrd? Along for the ride as Big Byrd learns more respect.





	1. Chapter 1

Ianto was almost asleep, the sound of children in the background as the world turned and the warm sun on his face caressing him as he lay in the sun lounger by the back door. He knew Luc had settled in Jack's one a while ago, also enjoying peace and quiet. It had been a couple of weeks since the christening thing and they were still a little shell-shocked at the invasion as well as the sudden evacuation. Like a mass exodus. The King had simply clambered into the bus waved and took off. Within three hours the entire family had followed, some frantic to keep up.

Now.

Peace.

Luc shifted and Ianto felt something, turning to find Luc looking at him with undisguised interest "What?"

"Just … seeing me Da, all that … shit. Made me think of things I had not thought of in many years. My mother was so important to me, when she died my life went to hell for a while. I sort of ran away and became a bit of an animal." Luc closed his eyes and Ianto waited to see if there would be more, Luc seemed to need to vent.

After a while he said softly, "There was this woman. She found me … well I found her. I tried to steal her purse in the market and instead of potting me for it, she helped me. We … we were friends."

"How old were you?"

"Seven" Luc replied softly, "Seven years old, alone and hungry. She fed me, listened to me and then helped me regain myself. A good friend, a true warrior. She came from nowhere, helped me become who I needed to be, not who others wanted me to be. Then she left, slipped away when I found me feet."

"Sounds like a good friend." Ianto smiled as he closed his eyes as well.

"Funny thing is … she reminds me of you. Female you. But more so Rhiannon I think, even with our pale features, she had Rhiannon's fire. Her girth and majesty, filling a doorway with strength. I think that is what attracted me to her, she looked so much like Styx."

"Styx?"

"We had an agreement never to tell one another our real names. I called her Styx" Luc smiled.

"Why Styx?"

"When we met she held my wrist so I could not escape and removed her purse from my fingers, then she said 'You sure got big stones boy' before she laughed and let me go" Luc grinned. "Then the men who had been hunting me down for previous… mischief… found me still there with her and she immediately defended me. They called me names, cruel sneering taunts but she laughed and then to my absolute amazement she tanned their hides."

"Sounds like a good friend indeed" Ianto laughed along with him, "So. Styx?"

"Afterwards, as she and I ate a meal she told me never to listen to taunts like that. Weak people taunt and sneer, strong people simply act. Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me" Luc recited the old adage, "I remembered her saying I had stones so I asked if she had sticks. If we had sticks and stones their words would never hurt us and she laughed, slapping the table and agreeing that we were sticks and stones. Styx. Not until later I thought of the river Styx. You know, named after the Goddess who had magical powers and said to make people invulnerable. The river flowed into marshlands in Hades also called Styx where those of low morals were punished by sinking into the mire for all eternity. It suited her. She seemed a goddess to me, powerful, malevolent and her wrath was a thing of beauty. The ferryman took souls down the river Styx right? She was a watcher of the dead but never one herself."

"A binding oath" Ianto said the other connection to the name Styx, so connected as she was said to be the most loyal of the oceanid nymphs and her name given in a binding oath made by deities.

"Yeah. She told me she would never leave me, she would watch over me and one day she would give me the power I sought" Luc grinned, "Sort of made a pact."

"And what was that promise made on?" Ianto whispered with something shifting in his gut.

"The sacred blade of Berchta, the goddess that is said to be the keeper of the dead, also the goddess of life. Immortal." Luc said after he had considered, "It was a blade like a short sword or long blade. It was traditionally worn up a sleeve, running the length of the arm bone to both shield from attack like armour under the clothing and then once unsheathed to attack."

"Shield and sword" Ianto said softly, "Really?"

"Yeah. Had runes carved along the blade." Luc snorted and Ianto turned to look at him as Luc said "B for Berkano, Y for Algiz, R for Raidho and D for Dagaz. All these runes share one thing."

Ianto blinked as he knew damned well what they all shared but let Luc say it out loud "Rebirth or regeneration."

Ianto nodded and looked up at the clouds.

They also spelled out Byrd.

.

.

..

Algiz: the shape of a Y with an extra arm up through the middle, more like a fork (Z or -R: Elk, protection.) Protection, a shield. The protective urge to shelter oneself or others. Defense, warding off of evil, shield, guardian. Connection with the gods, awakening, higher life. It can be used to channel energies appropriately. Follow your instincts. Keep hold of success or maintain a position won or earned. Algiz Reversed: or Merkstave: Hidden danger, consumption by divine forces, loss of divine link. Taboo, warning, turning away, that which repels.

Berkano: a B (B: Berchta, the birch-goddess.) Birth, general fertility, both mental and physical and personal growth, liberation. Regenerative power and light of spring, renewal, promise of new beginnings, new growth. Arousal of desire. A love affair or new birth. The prospering of an enterprise or venture. Berkano Reversed or Merkstave: Family problems and or domestic troubles. Anxiety about someone close to you. Carelessness, abandon, loss of control. Blurring of consciousness, deceit, sterility, stagnation.

Dagaz: shaped like a X with closed lines either side but also a Viking D (D: Day or dawn.) Breakthrough, awakening, awareness. Daylight clarity as opposed to nighttime uncertainty. A time to plan or embark upon an enterprise. The power of change directed by your own will, transformation. Hope/happiness, the ideal. Security and certainty. Growth and release. Balance point, the place where opposites meet. Dagaz Merkstave (Dagaz cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): A completion, ending, limit, coming full circle. Blindness, hopelessness.

Raidho: and R (R: Wagon or chariot.) Travel, both in physical terms and those of lifestyle direction. A journey, vacation, relocation, evolution, change of place or setting. Seeing a larger perspective. Seeing the right move for you to make and deciding upon it. Personal rhythm, world rhythm, dance of life. Raidho Reversed or Merkstave: Crisis, rigidity, stasis, injustice, irrationality. Disruption, dislocation, demotion, delusion, possibly a death.

.

.

Alt Verse so these are not true Vikings, the Runes do not have to be taken literally and can be reversed and mixed.


	2. and ... they're off

"So, you feel you have to" Jack said as he tried to understand Ianto's annoyance and excitement.

"Look .. whatever happened, it led him here. I have a bad feeling that the only reason he would mention it now is because this is the moment the paradox comes close to closing. Hence, I must go if only to return and close it. Jack .. you know I can't just nod and pretend it's not happening. Luc is family and besides … I love an adventure."

"So do I!" Big Byrd said from the doorway, "Really? He said he ran all the way to India?"

"Stowed away on a liner, yeah. Didn't know where he was going, where he would wind up. Just went" Ianto turned to his daughter, "Apparently Styx was the one who led him home to his family and reunited him with his father. His brothers who are older all raised him after his return and he says it is only due to the affection of Styx that he felt he could release his mother's memory."

"Wow. To see your mama murdered by her own successor … no wonder he ran" Byrd sat on the edge of the sofa, "So … when do we leave."

"Hold on a minute!" Ianto spluttered, "When the hell did you get into the mix?"

"Taddy, come on. Why else am I here?" she laughed happily, "the Tardis was adamant. Told me we are going somewhere. Come on, I can't jump. I bet she already has the coordinates locked in!"

Ianto glanced at Jack who was nodding "Yes. You go Byrdie, keep an eye on this one and remember to watch your footfalls. OK?"

"Jack!"

"Babe, come on. I can't come. No way he would ever forget me. You and Byrd can camouflage, do your thing and be home by dinner. I will cook a mighty beast to celebrate … this … blade thing."

Ianto rolled his eyes as Byrd clapped her hands, racing off to kiss her little self goodbye.

Ianto went over Luc's story one more time, knowing exactly where and when they needed to be.

.

.

.

.

Yan walks along with a soft sway of her hips. She knows the sight of two pale skinned women, both slightly hefty and in pants no less is drawing attention, Byrd's insistence at wearing an Indiana Jones style hat the icing on top. At least Yan stuck to a plan straw one. She slows and nods to Byrd who moves to the next stall, haggling for a morsel of food. Both women have long black waves of hair below their shoulders, making them even more forgettable and unassuming.

The touch is so slight it might have gone unnoticed but Yan is waiting for it, seizing the small wrist and turning to face the horrified child with his dirty dreads and unkempt appearance most street urchins have. The fact his skin is so pale in a land where the children are all nuggety is the first indicator she has the right chid.

"So … what's this then?" she asks calmly, "Don't they cut hands off for that sort of thing around here? You sure got some stones kid"

Green eyes widen, the strange slotted iris moving as the child shows fear and as Yan looks at the catlike eyes she knows it is Luc, "So? What do we do now little one?"

Voices make her look up, finding stallholders and other men approaching, their intent clear as they point at the child and yell "There he is"

"Ah. Looks like you've been at this for a while little one, time's up" Yan straightens to address those approaching, one with a nasty looking bull hip appearing and she sighs as the man flicks it. She is faster than a rattlesnake, catching the tail before it reaches the child's face and she yanks on it, causing the man to tip forward and he yelps as his colleagues laugh.

"Why don't we all calm down. You seem to have mistaken my little friend for …"

The clod of dirt that hits Yan in the chest is thrown it force and she stops talking to regard the man leering at her. He calls out "I will calm down once you have sucked my dick little heifer."

Cow mooing sounds issue and she is glad she chose such wide hips, trying to remember Rhiannon's shape and she places her hands on those hips as she cant's her head, her dark locks falling around her shoulders.

Byrd is calmly sliding behind the men and it all goes a little …well … Batman and Robin … the two of them erupting at the men and some scrotums get crunched a bit .. there was a bite to an ear which surprised Byrd as she thought herself a vegetarian and then Luc took a piece of wood to a man's shins as Yan swung those fat hands with glee. Something to be said for having a bit of extra weight on your frame. Seems a man can fly eight out of his boots if you put your shoulder into it and follow through.

Huh.

As they sit under the shade of an awning and enjoy some fruit the small boy looks at the two women with interest, "Why did you help me?"

"Sticks and stones my break my bones but words will never hurt me" Yan knew her lines, "I could not let them hurt you, their silly words meaningless but their intent clear."

"Thank you, not since my mama have I known kindness" the child sniffles looking at his plate as he told the story of her death and his running away to hunt for an old blade that might bring justice as it was said to send those killed by the blade straight to the marshlands of purgatory … where he hoped to send the woman who killed his mother one day, then he perks up, "So … I got stones and you got sticks?"

Yan laughs as it plays just as he said it had, Byrd leaning forward to pluck another piece of fruit and her own black hair fans her face.

"SO, and you Raven beauty?" Luc asks, "What are you to Styx here?"

Byrd looks at him with surprise and then says "How did you know my name. Wow. You must be a magician. My sister and I are clearly on a quest with you."

The boy's face is priceless as he gasps with glee and Yan nods to her daughter.

They are off on their adventure.


	3. a vllage?

They leave and head for a village Luc has heard of, something whispered in the marketplace about children and a deity called Berchta. He tells them it is connected to the blade of his family somehow, this name the one of the goddess herself.

At the base of the hills, Mayapore village does nothing to relieve the awful sense of devastation. A desolate road runs through the village, along which groups of pitifully poor villagers stare at the strangers being brought in.

Hopeless women lift buckets from a dry well - finding only sand. Skinny miserable dogs skulk between the decrepit village huts, eyed by the patient vultures lurking in scraggly trees.

Yan notices the wretched peasants staring at Luc, some of them pointing at him, a few haggard women shedding tears down their wrinkled faces as the little Viking boy passes.

There is no sign of children in the village and Luc grows frightened by the odd attention. He moves closer to Yan as they pass the devastated population.

Black clouds clot across the blood-red sky as darkness falls. Yan, Byrd and Luc sit tensely on a shabby rug. Above their heads, there is a thatched roof, but there are no walls.

The dying sunset silhouettes them and the half-dozen elders seated in the dirt around them. A grey-haired man, the village Chieftain, gives quiet commands to the women who scuttle in and set wooden plates in front of the three visitors. No plates are places in front of the elders.

Byrd whispers quietly to Yan "hope this means we're going to get some dinner."

Yan sees the painted female shaman, who sits next to the chieftain, watching Byrd. The women bring in a bowl from which they scoop tiny portions of grey gruel onto three plates.

To this the women add a few grains of yellowed rice and a withered ,molding piece of fruit. Byrd looks aghast at the unappetizing combination. She hisses quietly "God, I am starving, but I can't eat this..."

"That's more food than these people eat in a week." Yan replies pointedly "They're starving, too..."

Byrd looks around at the emaciated faces and feels like crawling into a hole.

"I'm sorry, I - here, please." She picks up her plate and gently hands it back to the women.

The chieftain finally speaks to them "You will rest here before you go on."

"We'd appreciate that. This was an unexpected detour. We'll have to go to Delhi now and find a flight west." Yan explains with a gentle bow.

Styx is taking me on an adventure" Luc gushes happily. All eyes are on Luc. Puzzled by this strange attention, his smile fades nervously.

"I'm a mother. I have to return home. Can you give us a guide to take us to Delhi?"

The chieftain indicates a young villager sitting near them. "Sanju will guide you."

"Thank you."

The old shaman speaks now for the first time. "On the way to Delhi, you will stop at Pankot."

Yan is puzzled by the old woman, her grey hair with blonde steaks in it, beads and feathers woven into the dreads yet … the voice sounds British. She replies gently "Pankot isn't on the way to Delhi."

"You will go to palace there." She points a finger, the bracelets on her wrist jangling as she moves her arm and Byrd sees a key swinging from a piece of string. She feels something shifting.

"Hasn't the Pankot palace been deserted since the Mutiny of 1857?" Yan asked, glancing at Byrd who seems to be canting her head and staring at the old woman.

The Shaman replies darkly "No. Now there is new Maharajah … and palace is powerful again."

The shaman looks around at the unfortunate people. "It is Pankot Palace that kills this village."

"I don't understand. What's happened here?" Yan asks.

The evil starts in Pankot. Then like a monsoon, it moves darkness over all country."

"What evil?"

"They came from Palace and took The sacred blade of Berchta from our village."

Byrd looks over at Yan "Took what?"

"It's a sacred blade in a shine that's supposed to protect a village." Yan explains, "It is said to be both a shield and a blade. The embodiment of the Viking Belief system as well as the stone on the hilt of the blade apparently glows in the moonlight. They believe it channels the Goddess of Light. The light of the Bad Wolf."

"It is why Berchta brought you here." The Chieftain says then glances at the old woman who is now staring back at Byrd.

Yan is politely firm "Nobody brought us here. We were visiting the markets and ran into Stones here, heard about him being lost and are taking him home to …"

Interrupting, the shaman snaps "No. We pray to Berchta to help us find the stone. It was Berchta who made you fall from sky - so you can get to Pankot Palace. To find the sacred blade of Berchta - and bring it's stone back to us."

Yan's about to object - then she looks at the sad chieftain, the elders and peasants who are watching him helplessly. And he sees again the dark steady eyes of the old shaman. Gold swirls and she sighs as she finally sees her.

Damn it.

Really?

Paybacks are a bitch but I guess there comes a time to pay the piper… or Bad Wolf.


	4. stones

Torches flare eerily and dogs howl as the peasants accompany the shaman, elders and three visitors out to the edge of the dark village. Luc walks beside Yan.

"Styx, they make you meet me?" he tried to understand "To get you here?"

"It's just superstition Stones." Yan assures him "Like a ghost story."

Luc looks plenty scared as they all stop walking. The shaman motions and the men with torches circle around a pile of rocks to illuminate them. The chieftain makes a gesture of devotion to the primitive shrine and Yan seems sceptical as she kneels to study the shrine. On top of the pile of rocks, there is a carved niche. The niche is empty but a slot indicates the shape of the blade that was stolen. She lets her fingers slide into the gap, gauges the width of the blade, the fine metal almost paper thin.

"Was the stone very smooth?" Yan asks of the small stone on top of the blade, the reason they are so upset and she sees the chieftain nod "It was probably brought here from a sacred river."

The Shaman is joining Yan and the chieftain as the chieftain says "Long ago - before my father's father."

"And it had a line shot through it like a cat's eye?" Yan asks seeing the shaman nod "The line represents the thread of time right? I've seen stones like the one you lost."

Yan stands slowly. Byrd is beside her looking at the shrine and whispers to her "I don't understand how losing one rock could destroy this village. Is it really powerful?"

Yan gives a doubtful smile. She turns again to the old shaman. "But why would the Maharajah take this sacred stone?"

"They say we must pray to their evil god. We say we will not." She answers Yan, "We must bow to time. Even a Welsh Dragon cannot argue with Time! Someone else tries to play with the lines, unfix something that is necessary. If this is not corrected … nothing will be fixed."

The old shaman looks off and fights the tears in her eyes as the chieftain starts speaking in Hindi. Byrd is able to listen by grasping Yan's hand, the translation flowing through the bond.

He says that when the sacred stone was taken the village wells dried up first and then the river stopped.

Yan turns and asks the Chieftain a question in Hindi. The man answers in Hindi. She asks what happened next? He says their crops died and then the animals died. The shaman walks to the edge of the torchlight and looks out into the darkness as the man continues speaking emotionally …And then they took their children.

"Their children?" Byrd hisses.

She looks at Luc and finally understands the sorrowful faces always watching him. Yan asks another question in Hindi about the story and the man continues his story - He says one night there was a fire in the fields. The men went to fight it. When they came back, they heard the women crying in the darkness. And the children were gone.

The shaman walks slowly toward Yan. **"** You will find them when you find The blade. You will close a paradox that must not exist or they can never come home."

The old man speaks again in his own tongue and Yan looks disturbed.

"What'd he say now?" Luc asks.

"It was destined that I came here -and the future cannot be changed..." Yan looks at the shaman and the torchlight reflects in her eyes. "Fixed."

"Well, I worked that one out Taddette, the moment I saw the Tardis key I knew this was going to get exciting. I only wish the team were here. Blaine would be fantastic in this setting." Byrd snorts softly.

Yan glances at her daughter and rolls her eyes.

Well … DUH

.

.

.

Brose1001 … well done, this IS an Indiana Jones rewrite … of sorts Xxxx


	5. Gross

The wind swirls into the hut and Yan's eyes open. She lies still a moment and then sits up slowly. She sees Luc sleeping nearby with Byrd protectively snuggling him. The talk of the taken children has unnerved them all.

Sensing something strange, Yan gets to her feet. She steps around the kids and goes to the door of the hut.

Yan walks against the rising wind and looks around. The village is asleep and seems deserted. Then she turns and sees something.

_Small bare feet stumbling through the dust..._

Yan sees an emaciated child in rag running out of the darkness. Yan moves forward and the child runs toward her. Yan grabs the little boy as he falls into her arms.

A few minutes later, the little boy is lying unconscious on a blanket. Elders crouch around him. Yan is kneeling and watches the shaman wet the boy's forehead with a rag and drip water onto his lips.

The little boy's eyes open and he begins to revive. Luc And Byrd watch from a corner as the little boy looks at all the faces peering down at him.

The little boy's arm moves and he reaches out to Yan rather than any of the others. Yan takes his small hand and sees that the boy's fingers are cut and bruised - his fingers open and drop something into Yan's hand.

The little boy tries to whisper. Yan has to lean close to hear as the little boy's lips move again "Berchta"

A mother rushes into the hut now and kneels and hugs her little boy. His skinny arms go around her as they are reunited. Yan stands slowly and looks at what the little boy gave her.

It is a small tattered piece of cloth: an old fragment of a miniature painting. Yan looks at it with an expression of recognition and apprehension as she whispers "Berchta"

.

.

.

Morning and Yan is walking fast and determinedly. Villagers trot alongside of her, trying to keep up with her pace as she questions them in Hindi.

Yan approaches two large elephants and sees their guide Sajnu trying to politely drag Byrd toward one of them.

"Damn it , Raven, get on - we've got to move out!"

Byrd's head comes up over the back of the elephant as she's helped from below - there is a look of sheer petulance on her face. "Do you have any idea how much my arse is gonna hate this?"

Waiting by the second elephant, Luc sees Yan coming and runs up to him "I ride with you, Styx?"

"Nope, you got a little surprise over there, Stony." She points with disguised mirth.

Luc runs around the big elephant and sees a baby elephant being brought out. He can't believe his luck "Oh boy!"

Meanwhile Sajnu goads Byrd's elephant over. The villagers look grief stricken and many are crying as they watch the three strangers' departure.

Byrd whispers to Luc "This is the first time anybody ever cried when I left."

"They don't cry about you. They cry about the elephants leaving." Luc corrected and Byrd snorted softly.

"Figures..."

"They got no food to feed them. So they taking the elephants away to sell them." Luc says sadly and Byrd turns in her seat to look over at her Parental, so Yan lumbers over on her elephant.

"Can we help them? They need these for harvest right? How will they survive without them? The food they swap them for will only last so long" she said and Yan nodded.

"I know love, already on it" Yan assures her, "All right, let's go. I want to get to Pankot before tomorrow night."

The elephants move off through the crowds of pitiful villagers. Yan sees the elders, chieftain and the old shaman who brings her hands up to her forehead as Yan rides past. Yan mirrors the motion as she nods down at the woman who she knows she will see many times more.

.

.

.

.

The elephants move across the desolate countryside toward the distant hills.

Yan rides the lead elephant. Sajnu passes on foot guiding Byrd's elephant.

From a cliff, we see the elephants below passing into the lower jungles.

Spotting something on an overhanging tree branch, Luc stands up precariously on the baby elephant's back. He pulls a vine from the tree as they pass under it. Plopping down onto the baby elephant's back, he picks the wild fruit from the vine "Here you go, lunch time!"

The baby elephant's trunk comes back and takes the fruit. Luc looks up in the sky.

"Styx, look!"

Yan and Byrd look up and see hundreds of enormous winged creatures flapping across the afternoon sky. "Those are very big birds"

Sajnu says something and Yan nods. "Those aren't birds - those are giant bats."

Byrd shudders as she watches the bats. Then she calls out "So .. caves?"

Yan nods and they continue as Byrd grimaces.

"Gross."


	6. snake

The three elephants stand sucking up river water with their trunks. Seated on the huge beasts, Byrd, Luc and Yan watch the thirsty animals.

"I think maybe we'll camp here." Yan decides, looking up at the distant cliffs. She wants to see where those bats go at dusk … caves indeed.

The three elephants submerge in a deep, wide spot in the river. Yan wades in the current. She and the guide splash water on the weary animals.

Luc laughs and plays with the baby elephant. Wrapped in its trunk, he's swung in the air and lands on the elephant's back. Luc makes a swan dive back into the water and the baby elephant gives him a shower when he surfaces.

Thirty yards upstream, birds and monkeys chatter in a tree. In the shady river beneath, Byrd surfaces coolly and wipes hair from her eyes. She hums contentedly.

Yan wanders up the riverbank in her dripping trousers. She notices Byrd's wet clothes spread over a tree limb hanging low over the water and then she sees Byrd paddling around. "Hey, Raven - I think you better get out now."

"I can handle myself thanks muchly granny grunt!" Byrd retorts cheekily and Yan shrugs, tired of her child's attitude. She'll learn.

As Yan turns and starts off, Byrd reaches up to the tree branch above her head and grabs her underwear. At this moment we notice something awful: A BOA CONSTRICTOR is moving out along the branch, the enormous snake slithering over Byrd's clothes.

Byrd watches Yan walk away as she reaches up for her dress her hands feel something strange - not the dress and not the tree limb - Byrd looks up and sees that she's pulling on a snake! She SCREAMS as the boa constrictor falls off the tree on top of her!

Yan hears the scream and hears Byrd calling to her. She runs back toward the river. Stopping on the riverbank, she sees Byrd backing away in the water - Yan's already starting to pull her boots off "Taddette! Help me!"

"Don't worry, I'm coming in! What is it?"

"A snake!"

Suddenly Yan freezes and a strange look crosses her face "A what...?"

" **A fucking SNAKE!"**

She finally sees the boa constrictor thrashing in the water close to Byrd. She leaves her boots on.

"Hurry, help me out of here!" Byrd demands "What're you waiting for?!"

"Uh, listen - Byrd - I got a better idea."

"What?!" she gapes as she realises her Taddette is not about to help her.

"First of all - don't panic!"

Byrd suddenly screams as the boa constrictor wraps around her arm "It's got me ! I never thought I would see the day I wanted my brother here!"

Yan runs along the riverbank, trying to get closer to her, but not about to jump into the river "Don't let it pull you deeper!"

"It's pulling me deeper!" Byrd snarls, royally pissed now. Even her Snotty brother would have got in the water. Probably would have named the fucking thing and worn it like a necklace the turd.

"Don't let it curl around you!"

"It's curling around me! Damn it, stop talking and do something!" The snake is wrapping around her body and neck - her head is barely above water.

"Listen, Byrd. Do exactly what I tell you now."

" What?!"

"Okay, I want you to lift your hand - and pet the snake."

" **PET IT?!"**

"Yes, stroke it right along the maxillary and precaudal vertebrae." Yan croons.

" **THE WHAT?!" Byrd roars, "Are you fucking with me?"**

"Pet it on the head! Go on, pet it!"

In the water, Byrd is whimpering as she lifts her hand and starts petting the snake coiling around her pale body. Byrd keeps rubbing her hand along the snakes head and back and it slowly stops thrashing in the water.

"What's happening?" Yan asks.

"It's starting to let go!" Byrd lights up as she realises she is doing something right. Without the bloody great Doctor Doolittle Snort Monster to sneer at her. She cant wait to tell him this one.

"That's good - you're doing fine."

Grimacing as she stares at the ugly serpent's head, Byrd keeps stroking it. "It's letting go. I think it's - I think it's going to sleep!"

Finally she clambers up onto dry land and they embrace, then Byrd shoves her "Arsehole. You were going to let it eat me!"

"Nonsense" Yan snorted as she turned to walk back to camp and she calls over her shoulder, "You would be way too big!"

Byrd gapes after her Taddette's retreating back and starts to laugh, deep brays like her father's. Gods, this was a great adventure.

She was so glad Jack had told her to come.


	7. picture in parchment

Yan reaches into her pocket and removes the old piece of cloth.

"What's that?" Byrd asks as she walks over to where Yan's lying down and sits on a boulder. she hands her the cloth and she looks at it by the firelight. "Something that kid gave me last night. It's a piece of an old manuscript."

Byrd sees a crude drawing in reds, blue and gold.

"The drawing shows a deity named Berchta who lived centuries ago." Yan explains, pointing to the woman with firey hair.

"What does the writing say?"

It's Sanskrit. It tells the story of Berchta climbing Mt. Kalisa where she met the Hindu god Shiva." Yan examines the writing with interest. This was new to her too.

Examining it Byrd asks "That's Shiva? What's he giving the goddess?"

"Legend says he told Berchta to go forth and combat evil. To do that he gave her a sacred stone that had magical powers." Ianto translates and Byrd frowns softly, reaching up to flick her hair back.

"You mean magical like the rock that was stolen from that village?" Byrd asks, "This is not about the blade for them is it. It's all about the stone in the hilt."

Yan looks at her meaningfully. "It could be."

.

.

.

.

Tall, vine-covered trees sway in the wind. Beneath them, the elephants plough through the dense tropical forest. The sounds of the teeming jungle multiply as Luc surveys the distant hills.

"Styx, look!"

"That's it. Pankot Palace." Yan says with delight, reaching out to slap the boy on the shoulder as his little elephant lumbers past.

Byrd looks off at the hole in the rock face rising in the distance above the jungle. Someone has caved it to look grotesque with what seems to be images of the dead reaching out to ensnare any who dare walk into the cave. Creepy. She loves it.

Their Mayapore guide walks forward and suddenly looks frightened. He barks commands and the elephants stop. Yan jumps down and joins the fearful guide.

They stare at a small statue of a malevolent goddess with eight arms. Around the goddess's neck, a carved necklace displays small human heads - her eight hands hold other heads by their hair.

Yan moves closer to the statue as the terrified guide backs away. Yan is fascinated by the ritual objects adorning it: leaves, dead birds, rodents and turtles. Yan grimaces as she lifts a necklace of real pierced human fingers...

"Why are we stopping here?" Byrd calls out, unable to see what her Taddette is crouching over.

Yan goes back and joins the scared, jabbering guide who is helping Byrd down from the elephant. Luc jumps down. "What did you look at, Styx?"

"Just a statue."

"What's the guide talking about? He hasn't said a word the whole trip." Byrd feels the first tendrils of fear as she looks at the man's terrified face.

Yan listens to the agitated guide and then speaks a few words in Hindi back to him as she slips something from her pocket into his hand. They watch the distressed guide turn the elephants and start away with them as fast as possible.

"He's afraid of something." Byrd says softly, "What is it?"

"He said he couldn't take us any farther. He has to go sell the elephants."

"You mean we have to walk the rest of the way?" Byrd moans and follows Yan. Luc watches the elephants trudging away. The little elephant turns and looks back. Luc quickly wipes a tear from his face.

Yan is careful not to glance back and knows the guide will keep to the path until they are out of sight before checking the purse Yan slid into his hand.

By this time tomorrow the elephants will be back at the village, welcomed with joy and relief as the gold coins provided in the purse will not only pay for the feed they need for the elephants but also the villagers.

She would like to do more and makes a silent vow to go back later, check on them and make sure all is well.

After all … They do pray to Berchta for aid … how can she deny them?

For the image on the old parchment is easily recognisable, Byrd's gasps confirming it.

The ancient deity was her.

Yan.


	8. not the time for a dance off

Behind all the vines they find what they are looking for, the entrance to a cave. They start to explore the tunnel system, carved into living quarters. They surmise the slaves did this, or smugglers as it is so cleverly hidden.

"Taddette, I suggest we split up. I will look in here, you go that way" Byrd waves a hand distractedly as she peers into the room she chose and Yan finally shakes her head and gives in to her child.

The walls are lines with statues, like those terracotta ones and Yan lets her hand trail over the stone as she walks, not put out that Luc chose to stay with Byrd. A little infatuation there I think.

As she walks past the life-sized armed guards standing in silent vigil, suddenly we see something frightening behind her: one of the statues seems to come to life!

A large figure in robes and a turban looms out from the wall and lifts a silk cord - the figure wraps the cord suddenly around Yan's neck!

The huge assassin stands behind Yan, twisting the cord even tighter around her neck. Inhuman strength is being displayed and she grunts with shock as she senses that this one will not go down easily.

Yan shoves the assassin backwards, ramming the big man into the wall. The assassin maintains his death grip.

Gasping futilely for air, Yan sinks slowly to her knees - her eyes bulge and she stares at the tiny, smiling skulls at the ends of the death-cord wrapped around the assassin's fists.

Yan sinks lower and then feels something - desperately she grabs a brass pot on the floor by the handle and swings it with her last strength, smashing it up into the assassin's head with a skull-crushing clang!

The assassin is stunned and Yan curls forward pulling him into a somersault and sending him flying over her back. The assassin crashes on his back.

Yan rips the cord from around her neck and gasps for breath. She sees the assassin pulling a knife. Yan dives as the knife flies through the air and slams into the wall.

Yan grabs her whip, rolls and lands on her feet. As the assassin tries to retreat, Yan unleashes her whip - it CRACKS and wraps around the killer's neck.

The big man struggles, pulling on the whip, trying to release it from his throat - and Yan holds fast, watching the killer gasping for air now as his face turns red.

Suddenly the assassin does a full-blown backward somersault which rips the whip out of Yan's hand. The assassin has an instant to grin victoriously - Until he sees that the whip handle is being knotted around a large boulder in the edge of a crevasse. The surprised assassin is tugged downwards - and the whip twists as it flies over the edge and like a doomed flounder, the assassin is slowly reeled in and dragged toward the abyss, his feet kicking. The opening might have been large enough had Yan not pushed another boulder over it and the man hits the too small opening with a sickening crunch. The assassin screams as he is hanged! His legs twitch in his death throes - and behind Yan, Luc finally arrives.

Always Yan's protector, Luc instinctively leaps in front of her and draws a small dagger "Don't worry, Styx! Where are they?!"

Luc spins a 360, then looks down and does a double-take seeing the dead assassin.

Luc goes over and gapes as Yan crouches down to retrieve the whip, shaking the boulder loose from below then pushing the boulder back - the assassin's body drops and Yan recoils her whip. Suddenly they hear a hideous scream - Byrd!

Byrd screams again. She's looking down at something - Moving up her shapely leg, a green and black, monstrous-looking insect crawls onto her stomach and Byrd stops breather. Immobilized by fear, Byrd watches in silent agony as the hideous insect climbs slowly up her breast and slithers toward her neck.

Yan rushes in. Luc is behind her, carrying Yan's whip.

Yan shrugs and leans over and casually swats the horrible bug off her face. He and Luc watch the insect skid across the floor - and suddenly disappear as if by magic! Puzzled, they wander toward the wall, leaving Byrd behind, bathed in sweat, staring at the ceiling – "What did I do to deserve this trip?!

Kneeling by the wall, Luc examines the shadows "It went under. Hey, I feel wind"

Yan knocks on the wall and considers the hollow sound. She moves back and looks at the whole wall. Behind her, Byrd moves past. Meanwhile Yan feels the walls. She moves to a niche in which there is a small statue of Ganesha, the friendly elephant god.

Yan lifts the statue - and a panel in the wall opens slowly. Luc looks amazed. Yan watches the light fall across the far wall of a tunnel as the door opens slowly.

Yan peers into the tunnel at an old wall painting. Spidery Sanskrit calligraphy runs under a flanking illustration of a prince bowing before a god.

"What does it mean, Styx?"

She reads aloud an inscription in Sanskrit, translating "Follow in the footsteps of Shiva. Do not betray his truth."

Yan takes out the piece of cloth the boy gave him in Mayapore, the similarities are striking. It is also a picture of Shiva Sankara.

Yan and Luc enter the secret passage and move forward slowly into the inky darkness. Byrd considers, then follows.

They creep slowly down the dark tunnel. It grows smaller and Yan ducks her head.

"I step on something." Lyc hissed.

Their footsteps crunch on the tunnel floor. Yan frowns "You're right, there's something all over the floor..."

Even Luc has to duck and Yan finally kneels to her hands and knees. "We'll have to crawl."

As they crawl, their hands and knees continue to crunch on whatever it is littering the ground.

"Styx, the floor - there is something alive!" Luc suddenly hisses.

Yan gets a match out of her pocket. She snaps it with her thumb and the match flares - a hideous insectariums" a living collection of the world's ugliest anthropoids, hexapods and arachnids.

"Ewwwwww, really Taddette?" Byrd sighs softly, "My pants will be stuffed!"

Yan turns and sees something else "There's a chamber here. Come on –"

Yan finds an oil lamp on the wall and lights it. Luc happily scampers into the chamber and Yan follows him. Suddenly the door slides shut - trapping them inside!

Yan lights a match and finds another oil lamp. She and Luc look for a way to open the door that closed behind them, but they have no luck.

"Damn!"

Then they hear Byrd's voice echoing down the short tunnel. "Hey - where are you?!"

Byrd stands by the walls in the secret passage, peering into the dark tunnel "Oi … Harkness-Jones?! Are you in there?!"

Yan mutters irritably to herself "Yes, we're in here..."

She looks everywhere for something to open the door. Luc spots a loose brick and moves it "Look I found a…"

Suddenly they hear a rumble and Yan turns to see the opposite wall moving - the spikes start appearing! Their lethal points protrude from the wall as it starts closing in toward Yan and Luc.

Luc points up and Yan sees more spikes descending from the ceiling! Yan turns toward the door and shouts "Uh - Byrd?!" louder "Byrd, you better get down here!"

Byrd listens and looks annoyed shouting back "What?!"

"Byrd, come here! Hurry up, we're in trouble!" Yan shouts irritably then mutters under her breath "just like her bloody father, asking stupid questions instead of doing as she's bloody told"

"Raven Bird, help!" Luc yells.

Byrd is flustered, confused and jumping around as she tries to find the stone Luc moved.

The deadly spikes inch slowly toward them from the wall and ceiling. They start pounding on the door and shout "Byrd, damn it! Get down here NOW!"

"I'm coming damn it! Where is the bloody lever thingee!" Byrd roars, now hearing their fear.

"Move, Byrd! Faster!"

Byrd crawls and crunches on the littered floor She sees a low lamp by the door to the chamber.

She grabs the lamp and turns it up so it burns brighter. She looks around - and SCREAMS! She sees the sickening, swarming mass of glistening insects crawling toward her, attracted by the light.

The one thing she hates in the entire universe. Bugs. "There's bugs! Bugs all over! Help! Help me!"

"Byrd, open the door! GET US **OUT OF HERE!"** Yan demands.

Byrd pounds on the door " **OPEN THE DOOR! LET ME IN!"**

The spikes close in "GET US OUT! Byrd, shut up and listen! There's got to be a fulcrum release! Look around!"

"A what?!" Byrd whines and frantically searches the wall. Insects are crawling and jumping on her and she kicks at them!

"A fulcrum release lever!" Yan roars, rolling hers eyes as she hears her child going ape shit over creepy crawlies.

"I can't find any lever!" Byrd yells through the wall, now dancing and kicking her feet with disgust.

Yan throws her hands up as she knows the stupid dance going in.

"Well, you can't dance it out!"


	9. Raven is a Byrd

Yan and Luc are backed against the wall and the spikes are a foot away and moving in "Look around, Byrd! There's got to be a lever hidden somewhere! Come on, you can do it!"

Insects drop onto Byrd from the ceiling and fly at her as she flattens against the wall. Then her elbow hits something – a loose stone. She claws at it and it falls out of the wall leaving a hole. "There's a hole! I found a square hole!"

"That's it - the release lever -look inside!" Yan shouts.

"I am - it looks horrible!" The hole is revolting : covered with squirming insects, it also oozes some kind of glistening mucus.

"You can't always have Piney to do things you don't like. Reach inside!" Yan shouted.

Byrd moves her hand toward the nauseating hole then pulls back. "I can't! I can't!"

Yan turns her head sideways and sucks in his breath, but the deadly spikes are poking into her jacket now "The lever! Byrd, do it! NOW!"

Byrd screams and jams her hand into the gross hole "Oh God, it's soft - it's moving!"

"Byrd!" Luc is frightened to death and crying "Byrdie, help us! Hurry!"

She hears Luc crying and twists her hand in the disgusting hole. Suddenly the door springs open! Byrd pulls her hand out and stares in horror - her hand and arm are covered with greenish slimy gunge!

The spikes suddenly retract, disappearing into the wall and closing. Yan pulls Byrd inside the chamber and the door slams shut again. Byrd dances around, yelling about the hideous slime on her arm. "Get this off me - get it off!"

Yan helps her wipe it off. Byrd falls back against the door. "You left me out there! What in the hell were you doing in here?! I want to leave this place right now!"

She sees the same lever that Luc pulled earlier and grabs for it. Yan dives and manages to stop her from activating the spikes again. "Not that one! We had enough of that one, thank you..."

Byrd looks around and spots a small rock protruding from the wall. Cautiously, praying that it won't activate another booby trap, she pushes the rock.

A large door opens on the other side of the chamber - a soft wind howls past outside the chamber.

"You are called Byrd too? Byrd for Raven?" Luc asks.

"Sort of"

Yan, Luc and Byrd exit the spike chamber and head down a larger tunnel through which a roaring wind intermittently blows, howling eerily like a note of gloomy music.

Yan follows a curve in the tunnel and they see light approaching. The wind howls another dramatic note which gales past them as they reach the mouth of the tunnel.

Yan is joined by Byrd and Luc. They all stop in astonishment at the sight below them: the mouth of the wind tunnel in which they are standing becomes just a small hole overlooking the staggering vastness of the incredible cavern. It's like being inside a crystal.

The colossal subterranean temple has been carved out of a solid mass of quartz. A vaulting cathedral-like ceiling is supported by rows of carved stone columns. Balconies overlook the temple floor. Pillared halls leading to dark side chambers. Moving out of these chambers, hundreds of faithful worshippers chant as they enter the temple.

Mammoth stone statues of elephants, lions and demi-gods (half/man, half/animal monstrosities) loom above the swelling crowds or worshippers.

As the wind howls out of the tunnel high above the temple, the worshippers chant in response to the strange tunnel music.

The moaning wind rushes past Yan, Byrd and Luc as they watch the mystery cult below bowing toward an enormous altar at the far end of the temple.

This altar is a platform jutting out from the stone wall of the cavern. Separating the worshippers from this altar is a wide crevasse out of which wisps of smoke rise occasionally.

On the other side of the crevasse, evil-looking priests materialize out of clouds of swirling smoke. The priests carry smoke-billowing urns to a giant stone statue.

Now, we see the hideous protectress of the temple, the obscenely malevolent object of the cult's devotion: the bloodthirsty goddess KALI!

The red-eyed priests bow at the base of the statue and gaze reverently at their KALI MA. Skulls surround her stone feet carved serpents twist up her legs, while around her waist there is a gruesome belt of human hands.

Naked to the hips, Kali's hair falls about her four arms. In her hand, she holds a sword, in the second the severed head of a giant. With her other hands she encourages her worshipers, who are chanting louder and louder!

Kali's face is loathsome: her earrings are two corpses. Her evil tongue extends out of her twisted mouth and what looks like read blood flows over her long fangs and down her naked breasts.

Watching from the high opening, Byrd looks both disgusted and intrigued "What is it...?"

"It's a ceremony. They're worshipping Kali, the goddess of Death and Destruction." Yan whispers with equal interest.

A huge drum sounds three times and the chanting stops. The silence is chilling as another robed figure appears out of the some on the altar.

This is DULEZRA, the High Priest of the Komerdian cult. Dulezra's red-rimmed eyes glare from the sunken sockets in his sinister face. Here is a man who looks as vile and diabolic as the unholy goddess rising behind him.

As the drum booms three times more, Dulezra lifts one arm up from his emaciated body and suddenly there is a scream!

All heads turn toward an unfortunate, struggling Indian being dragged out by priests. The man's face and body are wildly painted. He screams again as he's tied onto a square iron frame lying atop a large flat stone.

Dulezra steps forward to the stretched-out victim and the Indian looks up into the High Priest's grotesque face. Suddenly Dulezra's hand shoots out toward the man's chest – and pierces it! The High Priest's hand sinks into the victim's writing body and rips out his living heart!

Byrd covers her mouth and looks at her Dam with shock "Oh my God! He ripped out his -he killed him!"

"No...the heart's still beating!" Yan replies with a new interest now, how is this possible?

Indeed, the bloody heart is still beating in Dulezra's hand! He lifts the heart into the air and the worhippers begin the chant.

"Jai ma Kali, jai ma Kali!"

Stranger still, the sacrificial victim is still alive - there is no evidence of a gash on his chest, only a reddish mark. The priests add chains to the iron frame and carry the victim over toward a hoist hanging over the crevasse.

The man thrashes about helplessly on the iron frame as it is up ended and then lowered with the victim hanging face down - As the sacrificial victim looks down into the crevasse below - he screams - and we see the molten lava bubbling crimson at the bottom of the chasm!

They watch horrified as the iron frame is lowered - and the bloody heart continues to beat in Dulezra's hand - and the molten lava burns and flickers as the screaming victim is lowered deeper into the crevasse.

The weird paint on the victim's face starts to smoke and sizzle - the man's skin blisters as he's lowered within feet of the lava. His flesh smokes and he screams one last time as his body bursts into flame.

The iron frame sinks and submerges into the boiling fiery lava.

Above the crevasse, Dulezra continues to hold the heart in his hand - the heart is smoking and bursts into flames – and disappears!

The iron frame is raised out of the lava - the metal glows like a branding iron, but there is no trace of the sacrificed victim.

As the wind howls again, Byrd and Luc look sickened and appalled by the ceremony. Even Yan seems shaken by what they are witnessing.

"Taddy?"

"I… I have a theory. I … gods I wish it wasn't so but I think I know what we are seeing and it changes everything" Yan rubs her face with horror "The stones … they are not stones. They are seeds"

"Seeds?"

"Yeah. Tell me love, who do you know that can resurrect? Who could have a heart torn out and still fight?"

"Well … you and Dad" she frowned back.

"Because?"

"The heart of the Tardis."

"The Crystal" Yan nods, "Look around us darling, where do you think we are? What are we inside of … if not an ancient remains of one? In it last dying moments it sent out seeds so that it's Heart Light might glow once more!"

"Holy shit" Byrd gasps "Wait. The stones are Tardis seeds?"

"Yes. I think this is why we were destined to be here, why this was all meant to be" Yan finally has the answer to the thing that has been niggling all along "Byrdie Girl. We are here to rescue a Tardis!"


	10. rocks

The priests reverently unwrap three conical pieces of crystallized quartz. The place the three stones below the statue of Kali and slowly the smoke around the altar swirls - The smoke is drawn to the three stones and they actually start in- haling the spiralling smoke. The smoke disappears into the stones and the air clears. Then the three stones start to glow a haunting incandescent white.

"The village knew their rock was magic - but they didn't know it was one of the lost Sankara Stones... Gods save us. A Tardis!" Byrd enthuses "I want one! Taddette. I want one, get me one."

"Little shit, it's not all about you" Yan sighs as his child looks like the little beast they left behind chasing the cats.

"Why they glow like that?" Luc asks.

"Legend says that when the stones are brought together the diamonds inside of them will glow."

"Diamonds...?"

"Well … actually they are Tardis hearts, tiny little ones" Byrd makes a motion with her thumb and forefinger as Yan glares at her and shakes her head.

"Spoilers!"

The Sankara Stones shimmer brightly, and inside the crystallized quartz, the enormous sparkling diamonds of legend are now revealed.

Dulezra stands facing Kali with his arms outstretched and kneels and bows and then walks off the altar and disappears. Yan sees the worshippers below start to leave the temple. She looks at Byrd and Luc.

"Okay - now listen - you wait here and keep quiet. Luc, keep an eye on her."

Luc nods and hands Yan his bullwhip and shoulder bag.

Byrd sees Yan peering down at the sheer drop below the mouth of the wind tunnel. "Wait - what're you doing?"

"I'm going down."

"Down? Down there?! Are you crazy -!

"I'm not leaving without those stones."

"No …I mean …. Why can't I do it!" Byrd hisses back "I wanna go! Why do you get all the good stuff!"

Yan nods and looks down at the now empty temple as she hands her whip to her child. Then Byrd slips down from the mouth of the wind tunnel.

Byrd skilfully climbs down an enormous temple column - finding footholds on stone cobras, carved lions and the stone breasts of dancing girls. Slowly, she makes her way down and swings across a balcony. She walks quietly along the balcony overlooking the temple. She stops - between her and the altar is the crevasse with the lava bubbling fire at the bottom.

Byrd looks across the gulf and sees another column near the altar at the top of which stone elephants are perched. Byrd curls her whip and suddenly lets it fly -The whip cracks and its end wraps tightly around the tusk of one of the stone elephants. From the balcony, she tugs the whip taut, takes a breath and runs - Byrd leaps and swings out on the whip, arching down and up, over the chasm of fiery lava in a spectacular curving jump!

Byrd lands on her feet and turns to release the whip. Luc waves to her that the coast is clear. She snaps the whip - it releases from the elephant tusk and drops. Recurling the whip, she attaches it to her belt and moves toward the towering statue of Kali. The three Sankara stones start to glow and she approaches them cautiously.

Reaching the stones, Byrd's face is lighted by them. She notices that one of them (the stone from Mayapore village) has strange lines painted across it.

Suspiciously, she touches the stone, but it doesn't burn. She lifts it carefully and peers into it. The enormous diamond sparkles inside with a golden light that is swirling. She places the stone in her shoulder bag and reaches for the others.

Luc and Yan watch apprehensively as Byrd bags the three stones.

She turns and is about to go when she hears something -It sounds like a voice and Byrd is afraid to turn - could it be Kali? Then she hears other noises echoing and turns slowly. Realalizing the sounds are coming from behind the altar, she moves around it toward the back.

Luc and Yan are mystified as they see Byrd disappear behind the altar.

"Oh hell, where's she going?" Yan sighs "Just like her father. Probably saw something shiny … or a bloody gun."

Luc looks worried. Then the wind rushes past them quickly and howls its sombre musical note. However, the wind sounds different this time, its tone quavering slightly.

Luc is puzzled and looks around. He freezes when he sees two shadowy figures coming down the tunnel toward them – the bodies causing the tone of the wind to shift eerily - Yan notices Luc pulling a dagger from his belt

"What're you - ?" Suddenly she turns and snarls as two huge Komerdiane guards rush at them! One grabs at Luc but the kid slashes the guard's hand with his dagger.

Yan tries to get past the other guard, but he snatches her by the arm and pulls her toward him - from her training at the College of Hard Knocks, she successfully knees the big man in the balls. "Fuck you!"

The man groans and sinks to his knees. Yan sees that Luc is in trouble. She runs over, leaps onto the back of the other guard and starts ripping his hair out.

Luc picks up his fallen dagger. The big guard lurches backwards and smashes Yan into the rocky wall of the tunnel. Byrd falls to the floor.

Luc approaches, holding the man at bay with his dagger.

Yan turns as the other guard, the one she kneed, crawls toward her – she scoops up some dirt and throws it. The man claws at his eyes and she jumps up.

"Run Styx!"

Luc backs away, keeping the guard at a distance with his dagger. Suddenly the guard cries out in Hindi and dives at Luc.

Panicking, Luc tries to run after her - but he's tripped.

.

.

.

Byrd is unaware of the commotion above as she enters the dark chamber behind the altar. The only illumination is the back-light streaming around the silhouetted statue of Kali.

She slowly crosses a narrow stone bridge and moves toward a cylindrical shaft of light rising up from what appears to be an enormous hole. She hears voices and the clink of metal against rock as she continues forward. The ground is dark in front of the large hole.

She edges toward the precipice and the light rising up illuminates the look of shock on her face as she peers down into Hell...


	11. let your heart light shine

Byrd looks into a deep pit around which concentric paths leads off into numerous narrow tunnels. Crawling out of these burrows, scrawny children drag sacks of dirt and rock. Other hollow-eyed children pull these sacks to mine cars waiting on rails. Straining to lift the rocks into the mine cars, several of the children slip and fall. Bare-chested Komerdiane guards shout at the enslaves children and kick those who've fallen.

For these children there would seem to be only one hope – death - an end to their travail. Byrd edges around the hole, looking into the ghastly mine and feeling as if she's discovered an inferno of misery as grotesque as Dante's.

Byrd shifts the bag of stones on her shoulder. She hesitates and considers her choices: she has the Sankara Stones and can leave with them now... But she hears the pleading cries of one child and peers down to see a burly Komerdiane guard beating the pitiful little slave. She gets angrier and angrier as she watches.

She finally steps over the grabs a boulder. She lifts it and flings it down into the mine -it crashes onto the head of the Komerdiane guard who hits the ground like a sack of cement!

She sees the startled slave children looking up at her in shock. She smiles victoriously at the Komerdianes below who've run over to see what happened. She motions and they drop their tools, confusion turning to glee as they start to run, following her.

.

.

.

.

"You were caught trying to steal the Sankara Stones." The man accuses, his hand holding Luc by his hair as Yan tries not to glower too much.

Shrugging she replies "Nobody's perfect. The way I heard it, you stole one of them from a small village."

Dulezra stands and gazes transfixed at the stones glowing on the altar. "There were five stones in the beginning. Over the centuries they were dispersed by wars, sold off by thieves like you..."

"Two are still missing." Yan smiles softly, knowing where one is.

"No. They are here - somewhere." Dulezra replies "A century ago when the British raided this temple and butchered my people, a loyal priest his the last two stones down here in the catacombs."

"That's what you've got these children - these slaves digging for?"

"They dig for the gems to support our cause. They also search for the last two stones. Soon we will have all five Sankara Stones and the Komerdianes will be all powerful!"

Yan snorts "Nobody can say you don't have a vivid imagination."

"You do not believe me? You will, woman . You will become a true believer."

"Oh no, I don't think you understand" Yan says softly as she feels herself relaxing into the burn in her heart, "I do believe. I think it is you who needs to learn."

"Learn? Learn what?" he sneers.

"All five are here, right here!" Yan sighs as Byrd appears, followed by the children who all skid to a halt.

Byrd throws the bag to her Dam and Yan catches it with one hand, bringing it to her chest, reuniting another stone with it's family … or at least a shard of it.

"In this bag are the three stones" she whispers "Inside me is a fourth. Do you know where the fifth is sir?"

The man blinks now as he feels something shift and change, the walls start to shimmer and shake.

Many cry out with fear, alarm and horror as Yan begins to transform. She knew she had to, there is only one form that will do this now.

She is Kali, her name is wrath and her anger flares like the glowing light as she raises her head, many now falling to their knees with horror as Byrd finally gets what is happening, grinning as she whispers to herself "We are inside the fifth one. Holy shit. The Tardis is still alive!"

The shimmering shuddering stops as the Tardis wakes from an eternity of slumber, called back to life by the reuniting of her children.

Ianto's roar fills the space like a sea rushing in and Byrd feels tears on her cheeks as she sees her beautiful Dam flying apart like ash.

Then the world blinks.

.

.

.

.

"Will she be OK?" Byrd asks softly as they stand outside the collapsed tunnel.

"She will now she is free again" Ianto answers his child.

"Where… where did they go?"

The Tardis seemed to shake the three of them off, along with the children but kept those inside her that were considered cancerous. Wherever she travelled with them … they are not going to like it much, that is for certain.

"Maybe one day we will know Cariad" he smiles, "Come on … we need to take a walk now."

Ianto shimmers into Yan and they walk over to where Luc waits with huge eyes, still shocked by the magic shown by this God.

Yan, Byrd and Luc lead the children down the village road. Ahead they see villagers rebuilding their primitive dwellings.

Now they hear shouts of joy from the peasants. The children returning home start running to meet their parents who are rushing out to greet them. There is laughter and tears as families are reunited. Yan sees the old shaman approaching with the chieftain and the village elders.

The shaman touches his fingers to his forehead and bows. The three travellers return his greeting and the shaman is quite moved as he speaks to Yan.

"We knew you were coming back" he tells her indicating the lush countryside "It's a real miracle. Now you see the magic of the "rock" you bring back."

The old shaman smiles wisely at Yan. Yan takes the stone out of her bag and unwraps it. "Yes, I've seen its power. I know more of it's power than you will never know."

Byrd watches the shaman take it reverently and bow to them. The shaman joins the elders and they walk to the village's small sacred mound. Yan and Byrd stay back. They see him kneel and replace the stone in its niche... in the handle of the small knife Luc had weilded, handed to him by the meddling old woman who blinks away unnoticed in the bright summer light.

"The last Sankara Stone." Yan snorts with amusement "And they don't even know what it really is."

"That's my blade now. You can have it Styx ... if you need it" Luc shakes his head, but looks sort of pleased. When he turns away, his face lights up!

Luc runs toward the sunset, toward the three elephants being brought back to the village. The baby elephant starts walking faster, as if he recognizes Luc running out to meet him...


	12. a neat box

Yan and Byrd stepped out into the sunshine as the children roared past, Luc following them with glee and his laughter was echoed by Jack's as he tried to catch up.

"Hold on there!" he called out "I didn't agree to the pool yet! I haven't waxed!"

Luc turned to say something smart back and he stopped, seeing something in Yan's hand that stopped his heart as well as his game.

The blade.

He walked slowly towards the two women and as he did his face changed, his memories slammed home and the paradox(es?) ended as Yan reached out to place the small knife into the hand of the child who had passed it to her in battle, his own life considered forfeit if needed to be save her.

"Hello Luc"

"Hello Styx" he croaked with emotion, looking at his blade.

"You never lost it" Yan smiled "You lent it to me once upon a time. I needed it, I needed you."

"You … I don't understand."

"My power is from one of those stones. Do you understand me now? I AM a stone" Yan let herself bleed into Kali, then into Ianto, never once releasing the hand and the blade within, "this is my strength. My power. Luc. You are not the little boy who loved that elephant anymore."

"You are a man who saved a village" Byrd agreed.

"I did love that elephant" Luc grinned.

"Quite the mind-fuck, right?" Byrd asked as Luc blinked slowly.

"We saved them. How could I have forgotten that?" he asked with confusion.

"Time. You were young, it was horrible and it was better to place it to one side. You don't have to now. You can remember now. Be brave. Be proud. You saved that village as much as we did. Without your father's blood, help or love. For whatever he is to you now, remember … you are the hero here" Ianto started to laugh softly "And I thought I was so clever setting you up with my sister. Even then … even then the Gods were playing with us. Destined to be together. Crazy!"

"Crazy?" Byrd snorted "What's crazy is that Tardis waiting all those years for the right pilot to come along."

Ianto looked at his daughter with a mixture of affection and exasperation as she pulled her leather bomber jacket on and slammed a Russian fur hat on her head "Darling?"

"I'll be back for dinner" she promised as she winked and started to walk towards a tree in the yard that they had never noticed before, turning on her heel to wink as the trunk opened and Blaine leaned out.

"Hurry up love, Piney is whinging about …awwww!" Blaine disappeared and laugher echoed as she reached the door of her Tardis and looked into the large expanse inside.

"OI! Who bloody put that there!" she yelled as she stepped over the threshold "I hate that bloody colour. Put it back in the other room with …"

Then … she was gone.

"Ianto?" Jack said calmly "Was that tree a Tardis? Did you get our daughter a Tardis for her birthday? I thought I was in charge of birthday things."

"Well … technically it was from Luc I guess" Ianto screwed his face up as he considered "Does it matter? She won't be stealing the Doctor's now and he will stop blaming your influence on her."

"What?" Jack gaped as Ianto started to swagger off and he followed.

"Babe? Tiger? Me?" Jack squeaked "He blames me?"

"Well, he won't blame me" Ianto hooted over his shoulder "He likes me."

"WHAT?"

Ianto's laugher was eerily like his daughter's as he left the day to its business.

He was bloody exhausted after all that.

And his heart?

Never stronger now it's mother was free.

And so was he.

.

.

.

THE END

Thanks for reading this latest installment of madness … now the mad thing has her own box … who knows what may happen next.


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